A wound can be inflicted in an instant. But the recovery process is never quite so quick. There are many reasons you may have a scar, ranging from an accident to a skin disease to recent surgery.

Beyond that, there are a variety of different kinds of scars, each with a slightly different road to full recovery. But one fairly widespread symptom of a recent scar that may affect you, regardless of how you acquired your scar or what type it may be, is itching. This is most common for burn victims or others suffering from keloid scars. However, itching is known to be an issue for many other forms of scarring as well.[Read more…]

While it’s not wise to overindulge with most types of food for the sake of your health and your waistline, there are some foods that you truly cannot consume enough of. These are green leafy vegetables that you can toss into your next salad or cook into your main dishes with delicious and entirely healthy results.

There are numerous green, leafy vegetables that you can choose from when you walk down the produce aisle in the grocery store, and you may be wondering which options give you the most nutritional benefits. Bite for bite, you want to load up on greens like kale, collards and chard. These are foods that are very low in calories, and they are high in fiber and rich in healthy antioxidants. They have the ability to protect your cells from the signs of aging, and they may also lower your risk of heart disease. In addition, they can help prevent the growth of cancer cells in your body. Plus, they are loaded with nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron and vitamins A, B and K.

To get the maximum benefit from these leafy greens, you may consider consuming at least three to five ounces of them each day. There are different ways that you can incorporate them into your diet. For example, you can eat them raw with a salad, or you can use them as a side by steaming them. They can be used inside meals like soups, raviolis and sandwich wraps, as part a green smoothie and more. Even if a recipe does not specifically call for them, you can toss them in many dishes to add nutrients, flavor and a touch of green color to your meal.

Most experts in nutrition today agree that vitamins and minerals are best used and absorbed by the body when consumed in the diet. Many simple and surprisingly savory dishes that are rich in vitamins can be easily made and are sure to become family favorites. The best part? While delighting your tastebuds, you are also providing your body with scar healing nutrients.

Pumpkin Spice Cake (Rich in Vitamin A)

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. baking powder

2 c. sugar

1-15 oz. can pumpkin

1/3 c. shortening

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 13×9 inch pan. Sift the dry ingredients together except for the sugar. Mix in the remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for two minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape the bowl. Empty mixture into prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until done.

Sauteed Chicken and Vegetables (Rich in Vitamins A and C)

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Canola oil

1 medium onion, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 lb. broccoli florets

1 clove garlic, minced

Coat the bottom of a skillet or wok with canola oil and heat the pan on the stove at medium. Cook the cubed chicken until done in the center and brown. Set the chicken aside, and add the remaining ingredients cooking until desired tenderness. Add the chicken back into the mixture and serve over brown rice. Serves 4.

Sweet and Savory Mashed Potatoes (Rich in Vitamins A and C)

1 1/2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes

1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes

1/2 c. lowfat milk

Butter to taste

Peel and dice the potatoes and boil in a Dutch Oven half-filled with water until tender. Whip the potatoes with milk and butter, adding more milk to desired consistency. Serves 4.

Cooking with vitamin-rich foods is simple and satisfying. Savvy cooks can serve meals that are both healthy and delectable and can rest assured that they and their families are enjoying satisfying and nourishing fare.

Scar tissue is a normal part of the skin’s healing process from any wound, including those caused by surgeries or accidents. Scars form because the collagen production works quickly after the skin has been wounded to mend the injury and protect the body from any further injury or infection. Since it goes through a more rapid healing process, the tissue does not have the exact same makeup of normal skin cells, which is why it looks different. (Read: Why Scar Tissue is Different from Normal Tissue.) Many variables influence the look of scars, including the size, depth and shape of the wound, as well as how much blood is able to visit the area during the healing process. Luckily, there are easy prevention methods to ensure that your injury or surgery does not end with a lifelong reminder in the form of a visible scar.

Do Get Stitches

Deep wounds, or cuts that can spread apart, heal faster and better when stitched by a professional doctor as soon as possible after the injury. Stitches minimize the wound area and make it easier for the body to heal the injury. This reduces the area of new skin forming, which minimizes the amount of scar tissue.

Do Protect the Wound

When you have a wound, you should keep it moist to prevent scabbing and allow the healing process to commence by applying a first aid cream like Neosporin. You should also keep it covered with a non-stick bandage to protect further injury and keep it from drying out. Once you see new skin forming, you can stop covering it with a bandage and begin applying your scar treatment.

Gentle massage should start as soon as it’s tolerable, usually a couple of weeks after the skin has healed over. Massaging your scar breaks up the collagen and reduces the size of scar tissue forming; use the time when applying your scar treatment to massage the newly formed scar.

When you wait for your injury or wound to heal, be patient. You should not pick at any scabs or use hydrogen peroxide. Although hydrogen peroxide provides beneficial first aid to the initial wound, subsequent use kills both good skin cells as well as bacteria making the wound more susceptible to infection. Instead, just allow the body to heal naturally. It takes 1-2 years for a scar to fully mature and there is no quick fix despite what you’ve heard.

Don’t Linger in the Sun

The damaging ultraviolet rays of the sun can interrupt the healing process, making it more likely that you will develop a scar. Additionally, UV rays discolor the scar tissue by stimulating pigment-producing cells. Skin is more vulnerable to discoloration when it is healing, so it is even more important to protect the area from the sun by covering it up with clothing or using sunscreen.

Have a question about your scar? Leave a comment and we’ll be happy to answer!

When you have an accident or undergo a surgery, you will be left with a wound to your skin. In order to prevent the wound from causing a larger scar, you need to properly handle how you initially care for it. During the healing stage of the wound, you should keep the area moist by applying an anti-bacterial cream like Neosporin and keep a bandage on the wound to promote the healing of the skin. For the best results, you’ll want to ensure to bandage the wound properly by adhering to the following steps.

Clean The Wound

Before you put on a bandage, you always want to have a clean wound, especially when you initially get hurt. You will want to wait for any bleeding to stop by pressing a clean cloth or piece of gauze to the wound. Then, you should gently clean it with water, although you can also use a saline solution. You want to make sure there is no debris left in the wound. It is OK to use hydrogen peroxide once when cleaning out the wound, but don’t use it again as it will kill the good skin cells along with the bacteria.

Keep The Wound Moist

Before you apply any type of bandage, you should put an anti-bacterial cream on new wounds. This keeps the wound moist, which enhances the natural healing of the wound. It also prevents the bandage from sticking to the wound, which could end up causing more injury when you remove it.

Dress The Wound

You want to use only clean and sterile dressing and bandages. For small wounds, you can use band-aids, but larger wounds may require a larger bandage. If you are making your own bandage, you start with clean gauze or dressing. You cut a piece that covers an area slightly larger than the wound and fold it in half. Then, use medical tape on all four sides of the dressing to keep it securely in place. You want to use medical tape because it will be easier to remove from your skin, while also providing a strong adhesion.

Apply the Bandage

Once the wound is dressed, it is time to apply the bandage around it. This provides extra protection, especially for wounds that are deep and serious or on areas of the body that are difficult to bandage, such as elbows, shoulders, or knees. You can use a cloth strip or ace bandage to cover the area. If you are bandaging a joint area, such as the elbow or knees, you’ll want to cover the area above and below the joint as well to keep it in place. Cover the dressing completely, wrapping the bandage around the area of the body. However, do not wrap the bandage too tightly. Once you have covered the wound, you should secure the bandage using metal clips, safety pins or tape.

You should redress a wound at least once a day. If the dressing becomes wet or dirty, you should always put on a fresh bandage. If you notice the wound is not healing well or it looks infected, be sure to see a doctor. Once the wound has healed, then you can concentrate on reducing the appearance of the scar, including using InviCible Scars.

Have a question about your scar? Leave a comment and we’ll be happy to answer!